Memento of the Flame
by Aiko Isari
Summary: Perhaps her family has rubbed off on her, because she's now drawn to helping the helpless even more than she already was. What's one more? Part one of Memoria
1. 0

_**A/N: **_Hey, look, one of my many, many crossovers of these two fandoms. Haven't forgotten my other _Nanoha_ stuff, don't worry! Just this one is... fun, fun for all. Sort of. Anyway, moving right along, please drop a review if you have a chance!

**Challenges:** Diversity Writing Challenge I20. A multichap with chapters under 1000 words.

**Warnings:** Death, genderqueer character, canon-typical violence, eidetic memory, prejudices

* * *

0.

He hasn't forgotten anything.

Never. He can't.

He can't forget his own helplessness.

He can't forget the flames that lick at the basement.

He can't forget his mother's smile.

She holds him. She's rarely ever held, and never like this. He remembers her shaking, remembers the fear clear in her face. He still isn't sure if that fear was for him, or for what he keeps in his head. Or for what he is.

But she is scared. He remembers going still, pliant, like she likes. His ears recall shouting, and his body trembles.

The magic breaks, shatters, becomes-

He feels her hands push him back. He falls. Down, down into the basement, the basement he is never supposed to be in by himself.

A whisper in his mind pushes him. He remembers stepping forward. There's a resounding shake, and he falls back again.

He is so fragile.

Help.

Please help.

He can't call, because no one will come.

So he doesn't. He steps forward, strides, runs. He hits the wall, bleeds.

It all goes still.

Then another shake.

Then silence again. A flashlight. It sweeps, passes over him.

Then it is gone too.

He's left alone in the dark.

Help me.

Help.

Please.


	2. 1-1

1-1

"Eurgh, what a mess."

Teana examined the ruins of the house. "They really went all out on this, didn't they..." What was left of a window splintered and fell with a crash. She winced. "How disgusting..."

"Tea!"

Teana turned, orange hair swishing around. She's too not used to having it in her pigtails. "Shari-san!" The younger woman adjusted her stance as Shari reached her.

Shari's expression is its usual good cheer, and considering the case, it's a welcome relief. "Fate-san will be here shortly. She was surprised to be called in for a planetside investigation."

"The report claimed there was a Lost Logia involved, and she's closer than Hayate-san." Teana looked the scene over again. "Still... it seems like a random attack from the looks of things. A small family, planning a second child... wife worked in the Infinity Library for the past seven years, husband a Device Meister... do you know Elliot Jameson, Shari-san?"

Shari leaned to examine the data and shook her head. "Not intimately. Mari-san might. She knows the unusual cases better than I do. I think he was a bit above me, worked more in the research and development areas, I would imagine. Have they done a preliminary sweep of the area?"

Tea glanced at one of the staff. "Not at the moment. They're trying to make sure nothing falls on us."

Shari grimaced at the ruined bookshelves. "What were these people looking for? Then again, we need to trace the magical signatures first... identify the bodies..."

_If there are any. _A magical death could get rid of those.Teana took a deep breath, then exhaled. "We should start the sweep before Fate-san gets here."

Shari pulled up a new screen. "All right, you lead, I'll record."

"Yes, ma'am." Teana took a few careful steps. It was like being back at Riot Force Six all over again, except that this wasn't theirs and there were actually corpses around. Even a child's corpse. Teana steeled herself as she kept sweeping the floor with her eyes. "Cross Mirage."

["Beginning life scan."]

She clutched the card in one hand, prepared to equip. Books strewn and half-burned, a crumpled body against one shelf, almost cliche if one worried about that sort of thing. "Cross Mirage, identify."

There was a quick flash of orange. ["Body is the corpse of Kiriko Jameson, according to magical signature. The body of Elliot Jameson is on the other side, again, according to records of their magical signature."]

"And the child?" Teana swallowed the lump in her throat.

["Location unknown."] Another pause. ["Life sign detected near us. Magic unknown."]

Teana grimaced. "I'm going to need clearance to investigate much further without Fate-san... ah." She pulled herself back at the sight of a small hole. It was dug too neatly to have been recently made. "Cross Mirage."

["Life sign below."]

Well, that was helpful.

"Excuse me," she called. "Is anyone down there?"

Silence at first. Then a raspy quaver of a voice. "H-Help..."

Tea looked at one of the people examining the body. "Can someone get me a flash please?" Dead children, hurt children, this was a _bad _way to start off her week.

"Help..."

"Don't worry," she called, a little gentler now. "I'll be right there, I promise." Someone handed her a flashlight, which was good, because she wanted to know what she was dropping into.

What she saw was dirt ground, more ruined shelves, broken glass. Cross Mirage hummed in her fingers, telling of magic. For a moment, she missed the child.

Then Tea smiled. "Don't worry," she said. "I'll save you right now."

Goodness, she almost sounded like Subaru.


	3. 1-2

_**A/N: **_Another update! Thanks so much, guys!

* * *

1-2

"Tea! Tea!"

Teana rubbed her eyes. "Down a bit Subaru. I've been up for hours." She closes the window with her report on it with a yawn. Subaru, dressed in her white uniform, only grinned with her usual cheer, offering her a cup of coffee. Teana took it and suppressed another yawn. "Thanks. What are you doing here?"

Subaru scratched her head. "I had my physical today, and Fate-san you were down here. She's gone back to the site apparently." Her voice dropped, green eyes gaining a seriousness that never failed to give Teana a bit of a start now that they weren't working together. "How bad?"

"The kid? Or the scene?"

"Both," Subaru replied with that firm earnestness that made Teana almost snort. Her best friend was way too zealous for her own good sometimes.

Teana opened the screen again. "Murders were rather... bad," she said. "Between the fire and the cuts, it must have been a pretty fierce fight that those two put up, which for non-combat oriented mages, says way too much about the academy."

"Maybe Nanoha-san got to them..." Subaru mused. "The child?"

Teana sighed. "He's quite coherent. He recited his name, age, his subjects for homeschooling, magical level and abilities, the names of his parents and their basic information, the location of everything in the house and that he was supposed to be in time out when those people arrived. He saw more of their magic than their faces, and offered to identify the spells for us if possible."

"Shock," Subaru said with an expression Teana knew very well as her friend's heart was melting. "What was he in time out for exactly?" Teana winced, then whispered into Subaru's ear. Subaru grimaced. "The Church would not be pleased with that."

"Sister Schach was rather displeased when I told her as well," Tea agreed. "Carim has already agreed to take him in while the investigation is handled and after that, no one's sure."

"Can I meet him?" The seriousness fell away from Subaru's face, replaced with that familiar, childish "I like new people, yes I do!" smile that Tea never quite managed to avoid being intimidated by.

Teana thought about it. "Fate-san probably won't mind, but, you know, don't shake him or something."

"Ri-ight!"

Teana tried not to smile.

She didn't want to admit it, but she really missed Subaru.


	4. 1-3

A/N: Tate is Taiki! Just passing that on! Sorry about that!

* * *

1-3

The child on the other side of the room regarded the two of them with a sort of wide-eyed wariness. She didn't particularly blame him, they were strangers for all intents and purposes.

Unfortunately, Subaru pretty much ignored the tension in the room. "Hello!" She went to sit next to him. "You've met Tea right?" She didn't wait for him to nod. "I'm her friend Subaru, Subaru Nakajima! What's your name?"

The boy blinked, and Teana shot him a sympathetic smile. "Tate," he said after a moment, voice quiet. "Tate Jameson."

"That's a good name!" Subaru reached out and touched his hair, and he blinked, puzzled. "Neh, neh, have you ever had a Choco-Pod?"

Tate blinked, and shook his head no, brown mess of hair flattening beneath her touch. "Mum said chocolate's bad."

"Well, yeah, if you have too much." Subaru let out another laugh. "But a little isn't bad, is it? Do you want to get some with me?"

Tate tilted his head, and his eyes went to regard Teana instead. Subaru tried not to giggle at the look on her friend's face. _I think he likes you._

_Shut up. He just sees me as the authority figure in this situation. _"It should be all right," Teana said aloud with a little smile of her own. "So long as I go with you and we let the nurse know, it should be fine, all right?"

Tate smiled a bit and managed a nod. "S-Sure then..."

Subaru reached out and touched his hair. Tate's closed off face looked puzzled at the simple gesture and yelped when he was lifted into the air.

Teana sighed. "Subaru, he can walk."

"Yeah, but he won't be able to see the menu down there!"

Teana sighed and winked at Tate. "Humor her, okay?"

"Tea," Subaru said with a pout. "Don't give him the wrong idea."

Tate was still smiling, so Subaru didn't really mind.


	5. 1-4

_**A/N: **_Hey! Small explanation, Tate uses gender neutral pronouns in their own mental narration in the beginning but most people will not because they simply don't know and Tate doesn't believe it's okay to correct them. That's all. Enjoy!

* * *

1-4

When the officers left, Tate was relieved. They weren't sure how much more they could handle, or even if they should handle anything. They're military. Mother was always telling them to be careful of the military, because-

Unconsciously, they tugged the sleeve of the hospital gown back over the number at their shoulder. The black ink shifted again, but they said nothing. Mother always said to ignore it.

So they did.

They sit and stare at the ceiling. Miss Lanster's higher officer said that she would be coming in tomorrow, to talk, she had said, about where they would go next and what those people wanted.

Tate sighed. "I don't even know what I want..."

Their parents were dead. It was easy to remember that. Dead and somehow they hadn't been killed with them. Had the basement protected them? Had they simply been forgotten?

They hiccuped and stared out at the stars. Underneath the hospital gown, the number shifted again. Tate sighed. It would get easier.

Eventually.


	6. 1-5

1-5

Teana let out another mental sigh as she watched the scenery go by through the train window. Another therapy session. They were required. She needed them. But still. The headache afterwards was never worth it.

The train stopped on the church stop and a few left the train car, some kids chasing their parents' Devices. She was supposed to go meet the kid in an hour or two, talk to him about the crime scene, about what he wanted to do from here.

That in itself was stupid. The kid was probably around the same age as Vivio. She didn't know what she wanted yet, and her mothers were happily alive. How could-

Teana blinked. Well, there was a thought. "Cross Mirage, could you bring up a call to Nanoha-san?"

_"Yes."_

Teana rose from her seat to go find a private compartment. It was usually bad manners to have a call on a train, but she never made it too loud and it's not like anyone would listen in. "Cover the conversation please." Still, caution was better than nothing.

_"Understood."_

For a moment, there was static in her ears. Then a familiar face appeared on screen, blue eyes puzzled. "Teana?"

"Nanoha-san." Teana sighed in relief. "Sorry," she said. "Did I catch you at a bad time?"

"Nope, I was just about to stop for lunch. Vita-chan ran to get it." Her old mentor smiled. "What is it? You're not one to call unannounced."

Teana flushed. "You make it sound like I'm antisocial." Nanoha giggled a bit, and it was always weird to imagine her mentor giggling. She sobered. "Has Fate-san told you about the case we're on?"

Nanoha nodded, sitting back in her chair. "It's rare for Fate-chan to get assigned land-side cases. Is there a clue that you wanted me to pass on to her?"

"No, just..." Teana fidgeted. "I'm worried about the surviving child, Tate. He's not grieving."

"Not publicly or outwardly, you mean." Nanoha smiled a little. "Did you?"

Teana flushed. "I- I was a bit too busy being angry at the time. But that aside, the Church is supposed to take him in and well. It's not that I doubt Carim-sama's abilities, but..."

"You're worried about him." Nanoha's smile widened. "Well, how about I bring Vivio up to the Church this weekend, and we can all think of something together?"

Teana relaxed as the train stopped again. "Thanks, Nanoha-san. I'm sure Vivio won't mind either."

"Not at all. See you then!"

Teana let out another sigh once Nanoha had vanished from view. Her mentor made it sound so easy...

* * *

**_A/N:_** Just a little additional tidbit here, this takes place before Sound Stage X, hence why Teana is still working with Fate and there's no mention of the Mariage. Did not forget about that.


	7. 1-6

1-6

Vivio was skipping. Mama said she was going to meet a new friend, and maybe they would go to school together and they could learn to fight together. Corona would like that! Though she tried to like anything Vivio did, so maybe she wasn't a good comparison.

Anyway!

"Vivio, calm down a little..." Fate-mama took her hand again, if only to get her to stop skipping. "We are in a hospital after all."

Vivio blushed and looked down. "Sorry... Fate-mama, is Tate-kun nice?"

"They're very polite," Fate replied. "Tea's taken a bit of a shine to them."

Vivio filed the phrasing away. "Then we'll gonna be friends."

"That's the idea. Nanoha's taking you both to the mall. They need new things and you're growing again." She winked at Vivio. "Soon you'll be too big to carry to the car."

Vivio pouted. "No I won't!"

Fate giggled and waved at one of the orderly staff. They offered both Fate and Vivio a smile and Fate led her on to another room, knocking at the door.

"Come in!"

Vivio perked. They sounded pretty happy for being stuck in a hospital for _days_. The door slid open and Tate was taking slow steps from the bathroom, holding gently onto a nearby rail. They were smiling, however, dressed in tattered clothes that must have been pulled from their broken dresser.

She could be wrong, but they seemed a little worried.

"Are you sore?" she asked. Tate blinked and shrugged a bit.

"There's a little soreness in my back," they said. "The nurses noticed it in my last checkup. It's probably because I've been in bed a lot."

"Then we're gonna have to go everywhere," Vivio declared, walking over and taking Tate's hand. '"There's this really cool ice cream place that makes this great cone! We'll be meeting Subaru-san and Tea-san there and everything!"

"For what?" Tate peered up at Fate, who only smiled.

"Well, those two finally share a weekend off and because we want to talk to you about what you want."

Vivio didn't quite understand the puzzled expression Tate wore then. It was so surprised. Why wouldn't they be asked what they wanted?


	8. 1-7

_**A/N:**_ Hello! End of part one. A little bit cheesy, but I didn't want to drag out this beginning a bit too long, here goes!

* * *

1-7

"They certainly seem to be having fun."

Tea sipped from her smoothie, watching Vivio tug Tate along like they were little more than a rag doll. Not that they seemed to mind very much, they were peering at clothes and toys and books like any other ordinary child. All sparkly eyes and innocence and all of that. She thought that was how it worked anyway; she didn't know a lot of kids.

Then again, ordinary children hadn't been eyewitnesses to murder. When was that going to reveal itself as problematic?

"Would Chrono-kun know how to handle this better? Or Lindy-san?" she wondered aloud.

Subaru blinked from her fish and chips. "Handle what?"

"Kids, this kid, grief." Tea took another sip. She really shouldn't be fretting so much. It wasn't like she intended to raise them. "He actually has children, he remembers-"

"Mother would probably know better," Fate said with a hum, watching Nanoha shepherd them back to the food court. Was it her imagination, or did Nanoha look as enthusiastic as they did? "She took care of me. Why don't we ask her?"

"This whole thing must be confusing anyway, all of these people barely giving them a straight answer." Subaru swallowed a chip. "Least we can do is give them some time to settle down."

Tea flushed with embarrassment, then frowned. "Ah, we lost sight of them."

Fate giggled. "Nanoha says Vivio found the sports clothes." She fiddled with the phone screen and paused. "Oh."

Tea was never sure if her mentor was giving a bad oh or a good oh when she sounded like that. "W-What?" Was Tate hurt? Having a panic attack? What?

Fate started laughing and Subaru and Tea looked at each other. "Fate-san...?"

Fate took a few minutes to taper down her giggles. In that time, the group had returned, Vivio at the front.

"Subaru-san! Tea-san!" She called. "Tate wants to learn Strike Arts!"

Teana almost groaned.

Well, when unsure of your own feelings, confront everyone else's.

Tate looked embarrassed, tugging at the hem of one of the new skirts. "Vivio-san said... said girls could be strong. So I want to be strong too... even though I'm not a great girl."

Subaru gave Teana a glance, as she seemed to be struggling for words, and then knelt in front of Tate. "Great girls have only one rule: they know how to punch. Can you punch?"

Tate nodded.

Subaru clapped her hands. "Great! Then you're great! Now we have to teach you how to be awesome! And that's what Strike Arts is!"

Tea hid a snort into her sleeve.

Maybe she was overthinking this.

* * *

_**A/N:** _To kind of explain Tate's feelings on this, they feel like a girl and a boy, but lean more towards being a girl. I'm using my own feelings on this one, so if there are any others who could put this a lot better than I can, or know the situation in a different way than me, please don't hesitate to drop a line.


	9. 1:5

1.5

The curse started centuries before.

In the ancient times, the old wars, the families fought. The children warred into adulthood. Eventually, the wars ended, and Belka died in a scream, then a murmur.

Someone sought to record it.

Paper burned, ink spilled, and in the destruction of the flames came a book.

That book was burned and in the burning awoke the curse.

And so the war continued.

* * *

They missed one. They didn't want to admit it, but they'd probably missed _the _one. The one who actually had the key was running around somewhere. The government probably had it tagged, tracked, covered. They couldn't risk getting the one, not yet. Not when there was so much to do.

They still needed the lock.

The key could wait. If they had both together, then everything would be easier to handle. If they could wait that long.

* * *

Teana pulled more books from the shelves, pausing with worry at the sound of it creaking. When it stopped, she breathed a sigh of relief. Honestly, she would rather leave the whole thing to forensics and get back home, but the magic traces were more of her specialty than theirs, so firsthand examination was probably for the better.

"Tate, were you allowed down here very often?"

"No," they said, and that was the other reason Tea knew she needed to be here. It was normally a horrific and unethical idea to bring a survivor of a crime back to a crime scene, not to mention utterly stupid without the criminals in custody, but if anyone would be willing to piece the family's lives together, it would be their child. "They were worried it was too dark for me to see."

"I think I agree with them," Tea said, almost laughing.

Tate had not mentioned any other close relatives at this point. They were, in effect, a Church orphan.

And one Subaru seemed unusually fond of, if her message of "buying groceries!" with a heart on it was any indication. She really needed to talk to Subaru about that.

"Tea-san?"

She glanced over. Tate was leaning towards the shelf, finger pointed at one of the books towards the top. "That has my name on it."

Tea pulled it from the shelf. "Nice discovery!" Well, for now, she had something to take back to her boss. The rest would have to be worked out later.


	10. 2-1

_**A/N:** _Morning! Meant to post this yesterday but it got too late. Anyway, next part, start!

* * *

2-1

They were running.

She wasrunning.

They. She. Both. She wants either. They don't care.

What matters now is the running.

Speed, pour it into the muscle.

Her breath comes out short but it feels nice.

She ran and tagged the balcony rail, stopping to breathe.

Tate leaned over her knees and grimaced, wiping her brow. She straightened, trying to control her racing heart. Miss Tea had warned her it would be like this. She hadn't used much magic before. She was young though, she could catch up.

She widened her stance, one foot back, and started moving again, striking air. There's no opponent, but that's good. She wasn't in danger of hitting someone.

Inhale. Exhale.

Strike. Block.

Slowly, then faster. Over and over.

_You're certain you have no living relatives?_

_None that can have me._

It's not a big deal. She was adopted anyway. It wouldn't take much. At least they say she was. They could just be saying it because she's not normal.

_Boys don't wear that. _

Yes, they do.

She dodged a swipe from someone that wasn't there.

"Oi."

Tate paused, relaxed at the sound of the voice. "Good morning, Vita-san." She straightened, bowed.

Vita grinned a bit. "Mornin' kid. Warmed up?"

Tate nodded, kneeling to stretch. "How is Hayate-san?"

"Busy, o' course. We've gotta make this short for the morning. I've got my test this week."

Tate bit her lip and nodded, leaning back on one foot. She straightened to her feet and settled into a fighting stance. Vita shook her head, pulling back her red braids and forming Graf Eisen in one hand. The metal gleamed in the sunlight and Tate grimaced. She'd been hit by that before.

"All right, I'm going to break your defenses again. No counterin' til I say, got it?"

"R-Right!" Oh, this was going to _hurt._

Vita grinned. "Don't tremble." She was meters away one minute, and directly in front the next. Tate managed to raise her fists. Her magic fizzled a flimsy paper shield and the hammer struck, throwing her back into the sand. Tate didn't think, she rolled away, dodging and making it to her feet, only to go flying again, skidding to stop just before the water.

Strike Arts was difficult. She had been at this the entire month she had been officially under the care of Sankt Kaiser Church, and her body still hurt from the first session.

"Don't get distracted."

"R-Right!" Block. Duck. Dig your feet in.

The worst part about this was _not _retaliating. To not fight back, to bear with the pain until…

"Now." Her shield broke, like that was a surprise, but Tate caught herself, spinning into a kick. Vita dodged with a step and the hammer swung for her chest. She moved and met a small fist square in the face. She started and stumbled, raising her shield as the hammer swung again.

Tate skidded back, panting as Vita sat back with a grin. "Not bad. Your shield spells need more mana."

"R-Right..." She took slow breaths. "S-Sorry..."

"Apologize to yourself more than me," her teacher said. Her voice was quiet, thoughtful. "Your body pays the price if you're hurt. Be careful with it."

Tate straightened. "Y-Yes ma'am!" Sometimes, Vita looked faraway and out of focus. For a woman who was so powerful, it was rather... uncomfortable.

Vita waved her free hand and straightened. "Right. Let's go."

Even though she kept falling, the only choice Tate had was to get up again. That was Strike Arts.


	11. 2-2

2-2

Yagami Hayate flipped through another page of the holographic tome. "Yuuno-kun, how is it?"

"Well," he said with a sigh. "We can put it this way: it's not a counterpart to the Tome of the Night Sky. It is similar in terms of the base. There's a self-defense mechanism built into it."

Hayate wanted to drink. She had stolen liquor once in a while but she wasn't sure her mentors actually cared about that. But another Book of Darkness incident was not high on her to-do list. "How volatile?"

"No threat, according to Mary-san," he said, rubbing his glasses clean. "It hasn't presented one so far at any rate. I don't think it's been activated in years."

"Do you think Tate-chan is the one to activate it?" Hayate drummed her fingers on the tabletop, watching Rein and Agito bicker over the size of the apple chunks for the salad.

Yuuno sighed. "It was sitting down there, so it's possible it could be any of the family. Neither of them have any particular magical affinity for ancient Belka, even Kiriko-chan's interest wasn't much more than passing fancy from what she was telling me. She was only helping me re-categorize according to timeline. Before that, she was assisting in transcription." He sighed. "I do remember her mentioning she was hoping this child would be a natural birth. The whole process made her question the adoption system."

Hayate smiled, nervousness in her lips. Yuuno was a good man, absentminded on his employees, but he remembered when it counted. "So it's more likely the child… what have you managed to translate?" Honestly, she wanted to look at it herself. Tomes were rare Intelligent Devices, especially the ones from the old wars. Sad for her that her work was so busy. She was even missing training camp with Megane this year! It was enough to make her cry!

Yuuno paused to read over his notes. "What pages I have gone through… it appears to be a compendium of battles. Of victories and defeats. It's like a textbook."

Hayate raised an eyebrow. Interesting. The Tome of the Night Sky sought wishes, sought power to grant wishes and change fate. Would this tome do the opposite? "Has Mari-san finished analyzing it yet?"

Yuuno shook his head. "Afraid not. She has to give Subaru and Ginga their physical and there are some other matters that she's been made to look into this week."

The inspector sighed. "Well, as long as Tate-chan is healthy-" Schwertkreuz let out a chime in alarm. "And I jinxed it. Please keep me updated Yuuno-kun, so I can pass it on to Subaru and Teana."

"Yes, ma'am. Say hi to Nanoha for me." The call clicked off and Vita's answered.

"Hayate!"

Hayate tried to smile but the call was sound-only and Vita didn't like sound-only calls. She wanted to make sure everyone knew who they were talking to when they came around. "Vita-chan! Is training over?"

"Yeah, we've got a bit of a problem. Can you send Shamal over?"

Hayate blinked. Shamal was upstairs. "Certainly… what's the matter? Did Tate-chan hurt herself?"

Vita paused, taking a deep breath. That was the sign something was actually _wrong._ "She collapsed a few minutes ago. I thought it was just exhaustion, but Graf Eisen is detecting a high concentration of mana coming into the vicinity."

Hayate's eyes narrowed. "We'll be right there." She ran to get Shamal, patching through to Subaru as she did so.

Absorbing mana… from where?


	12. 2-3

2-3

Shamal continued to scan for a few moments more, face scrunched in confusion. Tate squirmed at the touch of green light, grey eyes puzzled. "Shamal-san?"

"It's all right," she assured. "Just trying to make sure you didn't hurt your head when you fell. Just keep still for a bit longer, okay?"

"Mm..." They closed their eyes again. The feel of healing magic was gentle on her skin, and she could feel her body relax again.

Shamal gave a mental sigh of relief. At least this was an obedient patient. _Hayate-chan?_

_Go ahead._

Shamal redirected Klaerwind's energy before she spoke. _It appears that she unintentionally absorbed mana from the saturated air, except since it went directly into her body and to the Linker Core. The organ rebelled._

Hayate hummed, agitation in every sound. She was likely talking to Subaru as they spoke. _Will she be all right?_

_I believe so. I think Tate-chan's body is unconsciously absorbing mana, but it was a very miniscule amount until then._

_Do you think we should take her to the Bureau?_

Shamal hesitated. It would be easier if they did, they would be less likely to have the authorities on them if it happened again (which the child was barely older than Vivio, so they would happen again). On the other hand, the Sankt Kaiser Church was their guardian by law. _It may be best to ask the church and Carim-sama. They will likely approve, but even so…_

_Better to be safe than sorry. Subaru will be there in a few minutes. _

Shamal giggled. Oh my. "Might want to sit up before Subaru gets here. She's going to be panicking."

Tate managed a little giggle of their own before they frowned, pushing their body up with their arms. "Shamal-san… what did I do?" She thought about it. "Vita-san was talking and I was stretching. I was really tired, but I wanted to keep practicing because it felt really fun and then I was sleepy somehow..."

Shamal sighed, trying not to tut. She was hoping to not have another Nanoha in miniature. "You need to be more careful Tate-chan. Your body is still growing and so is your magic. Promise that you'll stop the next time Vita-chan tells you to, okay?"

Tate nodded, expression somewhat mulish.

Shamal brushed her blonde hair straight again and smiled. "You know, there may come a time where you need to risk your life and your magic in order to protect someone, in order to save someone. That's why, when you train, you need to push yourself to your limits and no further, so you can surpass them then, okay?"

Tate blinked at her. "A little..."

"Tate-chan!"

Their eyes widened and that was all the preparation they had before Subaru grabbed her and started to fuss.

Shamal tried her hardest not to burst out laughing. In retrospect, maybe she should have recommended that Hayate-chan call Teana instead.


	13. 2-4

2-4

In the past, in the wars, there was a clan that sought a way to wreck the human body with the human body.

In the past, there was a clan who sought to end the wars with an ultimate weapon.

In the past, there was a clan who sought to become the strongest.

In the past, there was a cursed book, who brought ill to whoever it touched.

In the past, in the wars, there was a clan who observed these events, and learned from them.

In the past, there was a clan who learned from the ancient creatures, those whose wisdom made the land tremble.

In the past, there was a clan who learned from the dragons.

They did not learn enough.

* * *

Tate shivered in pain, opening her eyes.

Pain, nightmares, all the same. Since she had passed out the other day, her nights had been full of this. The pain would be gone by the next morning, but it was still there, a consistent reminder of something. Roars and claws and sticky fingers and a metal taste in her mouth.

She licked her lips and took a sip of water. Outside, the moon was waning. She didn't think she could go back to sleep. She needed to talk to someone. Anyone. Wouldn't most people be asleep now, though?

She reached for her terminal. A letter. She could write a letter. Then after that, Tate decided to go for a walk.

It was better than tossing and turning. It was better than pretending this wasn't there.


	14. 2-5

2-5

Teana normally appreciated her sleep. Ever since her time at Riot Force Six (and being blasted out of the air), she had found a new appreciation for just resting and laying back.

That didn't mean she didn't pay attention to things. It just meant she actually _got sleep_.

Unfortunately, tonight was an all-nighter. A whole stack of evidence had come in before her shift ended, all needing sorting out and looking over. It wasn't her idea of a fun time, but if she could make a dent, her day off tomorrow could be spent peacefully.

Then Cross Mirage beeped about an email.

For a moment, the desire for a distraction warred with that small impulse to not have any notification ever show up in her mail. "Who is it?"

"Tate, ma'am."

"Jameson?" Teana paused. Now she _really_ needed to take a look. A small child up this late was never good, speaking from experience. "Open it." Her Device obliged and Teana read the letter. She tried not to laugh, even though the child wasn't there. They babbled in their letters. She paused a moment. Subaru said the collapse a few days ago had been a scare, Tate had listened and it had been avoided since. Not that she hadn't fallen over a lot more since then, she was being trained by Vita, after all. But these dreams sounded like trauma dreams. Possibly a therapist needed here?

She groaned. "Cross Mirage, am I getting too deep into this?"

_"Only if you think so."_

She tried not to scowl at the AI. Cheeky thing.

_"It is the aftereffects of your love and care."_

Damn it.

She sighed and pulled up the phone app. She couldn't call Subaru; she slept like the dead, and likely everyone else was still asleep. So much for getting headway on the deskwork. Subaru could always help her sort files tomorrow. She was good at that, even if she wasn't good at the actual reports.

There was a soft clicking noise as Cross Mirage connected the call. At first, she caught a glimpse of the waning moon and darkened grass. Then Tate must have righted the terminal, as she came face to face with tan skin and gray eyes. "Teana-san?"

_Oh good, she's relaxing._ Why was that a good thing? Then again, she was a child. "You sent your message earlier. Are you all right?"

"Did I wake you?" Well, that deflection habit was a problem.

She shook her head no. "I read your message," she repeated. "Are you all right?"

Tate fidgeted. Probably hadn't expected a reply this soon, or a reply at all. "I just… I think I'm okay."

"But…?"

She was tempted to change the subject, noting the way Tate worried their lip until it was red.

"But the dreams are weird," she finally said. "Like I am."

Her first instinct was to blurt out that Tate wasn't _weird. _Her second thought was to say that the dreams were something else entirely and that they weren't her fault, like she was probably thinking. They could just be a result of her watching her parents die and her subconscious reacting. The Bureau's set of therapists had made sure she'd known that every week when she was a young cadet.

However, neither of those options would work. Tate was barely eight years old. These few months were probably the worst thing to happen to her that she could remember. She couldn't deny that. And if any adult ever told Teana herself that she wasn't weird when she was a kid, she'd assumed they were pitying her.

Dear god. She _was_ an adult.

"It hurts," she heard herself say. Tate's eyes flickered to look at her, the holographic image fizzling at the edges from the outside air. "You're confused and it hurts and we adults just expect you to go with the flow."

Tate nodded.

Teana nodded back and paused. "In your dreams, you're fighting, right? Any idea what?"

Tate shook their head. "Just… people. I hit them hard enough and they stop moving, like Dad did."

"I see..." She'd heard of this. She couldn't remember where. "Would you mind if you had a brain scan when you went to the doctor's office tomorrow? I think they have to do a physical as it is."

"Um..." Tate paused. "What would happen?"

Teana racked her brain. "You'd have to ask Subaru for how it works exactly but, when they use the scanner, you'll already be in there. It will just be a little longer."

"Um..." Tate nodded and traced her fingers into the grass. "All right. Does that mean I'm crazy?"

"If Subaru isn't crazy, and I'm not, then neither are you." This, Teana could say, because she was smiling.

Tate laughed a little. "I dunno… you are… a bit..." She smiled and Teana thought she could see a confident child in those eyes.

"Oh I see! Is that what you think?" She listened to the laughter, saw the tension fade from the girl's cheeks. "You should head to bed. Tomorrow is going to be long."

The child thanked her and ended the call. Teana exhaled.

She was really in too deep.


	15. 2-6

2-6

Teana watched Subaru pace anxiously and grimaced. "Subaru, calm down."

"B-But-!" Subaru pouted. "Tea, they've been in there a while."

"Even so..." Teana understood. Not that she really knew why the child's safety worried her so much, but she could probably blame it on close proximity to Vivio. That kid knew how to make a heart melt. Also, considering the kid had seen their parents murdered, she supposed worry was okay. Just as long as she didn't get too attached right?

The doctor exited to the waiting room. Both women jumped up. She smiled at them and gestured for them to sit. That wasn't comforting at all.

"So… what's wrong, doctor?" Subaru was nearly making the seat crack from how much she was vibrating with dismay.

The woman smiled. She was used to Subaru by now, you had no choice _but _to get used to her. "The diagnosis went fine. According to the preliminary results, it's likely we're going to have to adjust a few things. The first thing is that she is unconsciously absorbing mana from the air around her."

Teana blinked. That was a skill of shooter mages. She looked at Cross Mirage thoughtfully. "But it's not dissipating harmlessly, it's..." She grimaced. "It's entering her body, isn't it?"

"Correct." The woman's smile dimmed slightly. "There is a similar disorder to this, sensory disorder, where the person is overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information their senses are giving them. They withdraw or even feel pain. In this case, since mana is an element to control magic, it is overwhelming the processing ability of her Linker Core."

_Exactly like Shamal-sensei said. _Teana nodded. There was probably a way to work with that, such as magic limiters and refining control. "And the dreams?"

"Those would be a case of memory inheritance." The woman looked back through the glass. Tate was redressing, folding up her clothes and tying her shoes. "It's a rare case of memories being imbedded in the genes, more of an Al-Hazardian and Ancient Belkan practice, due to the need to pass on techniques for the former and ensure survival for the latter, but it still has its effects today. She is gaining the memories of past members of her bloodline. You said she was adopted previously, correct?"

Teana nodded. They would have to go through the records. "How do you suggest dealing with that?"

The doctor offered her a folder. "These are only a prognosis but even so, we can test these treatments and work from there. The best thing for her would be to make new memories. Make sure she is more firmly grounded in the matters of this world than the one of the past. For her own sake, especially."

In other words, don't dwell.

Teana bowed her head politely and thought, _good luck with that._

She doubted Tate would want to do something like that.


	16. 2-7

2-7

Tate went back to school after another week. Or to a new school anyway. She did not feel comfortable going back to her old one like this and no one could really blame her. Those children may not have understanding families, and then where would she be? Bullied? Abandoned? For being different. For all the progress magical society has made, such as being okay with the Ace of Aces marrying a woman (one of the top Enforcers no less!) and adopting a child, teana has never seen much progression in certain other ways

Vivio, being Vivio, had tried to be tough and cool and show off to her new senpai how much she knew about the school. In a way, Teana supposed she had succeeded. Watching the girl now as now Nove tried to teach the child more, she didn't seem to be thinking of her parents. Or she was trying not to?

Come to think of it, she rarely spoke about her parents at all. Teana was like that herself, but wasn't it too soon to forget?

She would have to talk to Subaru about this… and Fate. Because it was possible she was hiding it, and wouldn't say anything.

Teana had to wonder why she herself even cared. The girl was an important witness to her parents' murders too, so keeping her in stable condition would help them gather more evidence, but... this attachment was too personal. She, she wasn't quite sure what to make of it.

A call came in on Cross Mirage, and she went to take it, thoughts whirling into a box. She would just have to focus on it later, she supposed.


End file.
